Plover – Pacific Golden

Pluvialis fulva

In North America, these plovers nest near the Chukchi and Bering Sea coasts in Alaska. They have been observed inland along the Seward Peninsula, much of the Yukon–Kuskokwim region to Kisaralik Lake in the Kuskokwim Mountains; in St. Lawrence, Nunivak, the Nelson Islands, and Hagemeister Island.

Pacific Golden-Plovers show up in San Diego most years, but are reclusive and difficult to observe during their brief stays along the coastal region. My searches have mostly been fruitless. The meetings that were ‘successful’ were rather distant and less than satisfying.

Pacific Golden-Plovers breeding in Alaska are reported to be larger than those breeding in Siberia, especially in wing length. However, no subspecies have thus far been officially recognized (i.e. they are monotypic).

I’ve met these birds at the southwestern corner of the USA near the mouth of the Tijuana River, but these were so distant that image capture was not a viable option. My best opportunity came while touring beaches and bluffs near the Del Mar Fairgrounds. But even this encounter pushed the limits of my camera gear.